As is generally well known, conditional remote starters for vehicles may only be activated from a relatively close distance to such vehicle. Thus, some users of vehicles equipped with remote starters find themselves exposed to greater than desirable effects of heat or cold when they arrive at their vehicles. People may have to wait for their vehicle to warm up because the traditional receiver does not allow them to start the automobile from far away. This could cost them precious time. Because they still have to wait for the car to heat up or cool off, users could regret spending a large amount of money on such an item. One may also struggle trying to locate their remote receiver in their purse, pocket or briefcase because they are usually small in size.
Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, efforts have been made to increase the distance from which the remote starter can be activated.
U.S. Publication No. 2005/0030156 published to Alfonso et al. discloses a long-range wireless vehicle command system that can be used to provide commands to a conventional remote vehicle starter over long distances. The long-range wireless vehicle command system may be based on existing wireless technology such as a pager and the transmitter of a remote vehicle starter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,558 issued to Quesnel et al. discloses a complex arrangement of using a telephonically-originated message to activate a servomotor in order to manipulate pins positioned above a start button of a handheld remote transmitter so as to depress the start button and emit an activating command signal to the remote starter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,569 issued to Scott et al. provides a system for use in remotely starting a motor vehicle and operating vehicle accessories that includes a remote unit having a digital controller providing encoded digital command signals and a vehicle unit which receives the digital command signals and controllably operates the vehicle's engine and accessories in dependence thereon. The system is characterized by a frequency shift keying method of signal transmission.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,139 issued to Wong teaches an automobile engine starter that includes a controller for monitoring the internal temperature of the vehicle and generating a temperature signal when that temperature falls outside a predetermined range. The vehicle is also equipped with a mobile telephone or radio receiver that may receive a signal from a remote location to generate a remote starting signal that may be combined with the temperature signal to start the engine when both signals are present.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,405 issued to Joao discloses a control apparatus for a vehicle, which comprises a first control device. The first control device generates and/or transmits a first signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem. The first control device is located at the vehicle. The first control device is responsive to a second signal, wherein the second signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a second control device. The second control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle. The second control device is responsive to a third signal, wherein the third signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a third control device. The third control device is located at a location which is both remote from the vehicle and remote from the second control device.
While the above prior art devices and systems are capable of increasing the distance from which the remote starter of the vehicle can be activated, there is a continuing need for an improved and less complex system for remotely starting a vehicle having a remote starter thereon.